Choosing differently on Jomark
by Phillipe363
Summary: Instead of just leaving Joruss C'baoth merely out cold Luke decides to make a different choice for the betterment of the galaxy.


**Hey guys**

**So, here's a new short story I wrote up and well this is me fixing ****the screw up where Luke got the idiot ball in Dark Force Rising book of the Thrawn trilogy** **done by Timothy Zahn.**

**I'll go into further detail at the ending author's notes.**

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On the planet Jomark

Luke is kneeling by C'baoth who is out cold but still alive as Mara makes her way over with holding the blaster pistol in her hand. Mara looks on in surprise at the Jedi clone still being alive given the cannon blasts R2 hit him with from the X-wing.

"Not even singed. Impressive" Mara mutters.

"R2 wasn't trying to kill him" Luke says.

Mara goes to say something only to watch as Luke gripping his lightsaber hilt presses it to the head of C'baoth. Letting out a resigned sigh Luke's features are ice cold before pressing the button to ignite the green blade sending it straight through C'baoth's head killing him instantly. As Luke gets to his feet the Jedi Knight deactivates the lightsaber with putting the hilt back onto his belt.

Glancing down at the corpse of C'baoth, Luke pushes the all too familiar unease aside. He knows all too well what killing, even in cold blood, feels like from the various battles fought in the war against the Empire and not all were done from the cockpit of an X-wing. Sometimes he went on ground missions where he was forced to kill the enemy in person. Like ruthlessly dealing with Jabba the Hutt's thugs.

For C'baoth Luke knows he had no other choice just like with the first Death Star. Well good choices, anyway, given the other option would be leaving the evil Jedi Master alive to continue harming countless innocent lives. Only Luke knows like Emperor Palpatine there is no hope of any redemption given both men were evil to their very souls.

Pushing those thoughts aside Luke looks over at Mara who is holstering her blaster.

"You said Karrde was in trouble" Luke says.

"Yes, the Grand Admiral's taken him. I need your help to get him out" Mara says.

"Okay, let's go" Luke replies.

As Skywalker walks past her to go talk to his droid Mara for a moment is very surprised since she was expecting an argument.

Only given how easily farmboy agreed to help the woman who has sworn to kill him and the man who held the Jedi captive, well a growing feeling in the back of her head that this, not the same person the Emperor keeps telling her to kill. And some of the hatred she has towards Skywalker fades given his willingness to help her. Also, Mara notices Luke from a physical wise is not bad to look at either attractive wise. Though Mara concludes she will never, ever, tell the Jedi any of this.

Mara gets jarred from any further conflicting thoughts given Luke begins speaking to her again and turns to look at the Jedi.

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**Hope you all enjoyed the story.**

**I get Luke is the guy who believed there was good in Darth Vader, but I've seen this taken to absurd extremes in official stories in both EU canons and fan fiction obviously.**

**The problems with how Zahn wrote Luke is this issue. One C'baoth is insane something that Luke himself comments on and knows that the evil dark side user has galaxy ruling ideas. Maybe not to the full extent of being on Palpatine's levels but close enough.**

**Second is Luke leaves Joruus C'baoth alive on a planet while Luke goes elsewhere in the galaxy. Meaning C'baoth where he can keep on being a threat to the galaxy harming countless good people of free will. Also, Luke already knew that C'baoth was putting the people on Jomark under tyranny rule.**

**Given there was no way to successfully contain him, the only other option would have been to kill Joruus C'baoth. Something Mara ended up having to do in the book 3 of the Thrawn trilogy anyway.**

**Needless to say, Luke still insists C'baoth can be saved like Vader was, which makes Luke come off looking very naïve, and dumb. Plus, pointlessly putting innocent lives at risk makes Luke come off as a poor hero.**

**Luke believing the good in somebody like he did with his father or Mara Jade needs to make sense otherwise it can lead to why Luke didn't try to save Palpatine while he was at it.**

**Like Luke believing in saving people who don't even believe it themselves is a part of his character? Yes, however, it should not be the only part or done to the detriment of his character.**

**On a side note if Timothy Zahn wanted to keep Joruus C'baoth around for the third book he could have done something to not make Luke come off looking an idiot.**

**Writing Mara who is very slowly starting to come around to Luke was fun, especially given we know their relationship goes ultimately.**

**Until next time.**


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